Barbados: LNG powered vessel Iona makes debut at Port of Bridgetown

Barbados: Iona, a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)- powered vessel made its inaugural call to Port of Bridgetown on Sunday morning. The cruise ship with the capacity of 5,200 passengers graced the shores of Barbados and enhance tourism sector with boost to the local economy.

Iona began its voyage around the Caribbean Sea and other locations with 35-night journey and reached Barbados. Now, the vessel will start its journey to Castries, Saint Lucia, aiming to enhance its footprints in the Caribbean region. 

Passengers received warm reception

Passengers onboard the Iona received a warm reception and welcome at the Port of Bridgetown with the sounds of steelpan music and other cultural performances. Captain Andrew Wolverson of the vessel was welcomed by delegation of the officials from the Barbados Port Inc, the Barbados Tourism and Marketing Inc and Platinum Port Agency. 

The crew members and other guests also received warm greetings from the officials and the local performers who performed cultural dance of Barbados. The musical display and tour to different hotspots of the locations of the country enhanced the travel experience of the tourists who visited the country from across the globe. 

The traditional plaque was also exchanged during the ceremony where they interacted with each other and pledged to enhance their collaboration in the tourism sector. 

BTMI CEO Andrea Franklin was also present at the ceremony and noted that this is a great experience for the Port and other guests. He lauded the vessel and noted that the design truly complements modernity and engineering capabilities as it is the true and shining example of sustainability.

She also extended gratitude to P&O Cruises for their confidence and trust in Barbados and added that the collaboration will further enhance the presence of the country as a premier destination of the cruise industry. She added that the collaboration with Iona cruise vessel will enhance their footprints in the tourism industry.